Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Consumption Christianity (Mark 1: 29-39)

With thousands of editions of English translation Bibles available to North American consumers, it's no wonder that the Bible is seen as just another product ready for consumption. Interestingly enough, the prevalence of Bibles doesn't mean that the population is any more adept at Bible reading. Mark's gospel tells a simple story of Jesus driving out a woman's fever. She then moves quickly into a mode of service. This story is easy to pass over, but it foreshadows how Jesus views his own ministry. In Mark 10:45, Jesus describes his own ministry similarly to the woman who was healed: "For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve..." Though it is a blessing to have numerous amount of materials available to increase our knowledge of the Bible, a consumer understanding of religion and faith do not fit the teachings of Jesus. The good news is that Christ was sent to equip us for ministry, not to passively consume.

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